Winter Embrace
by Hollowgo
Summary: AU. Oneshot/Giftshot. Bella the vampire isn't a big fan of Christmas, but her human girlfriend aims to show her why Christmas is wonderful. A short, fluffy piece for a dear friend. Alice/Bella. Mild language present. COMPLETE.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight. If I did, I would've avoided all the horrible characters and unfortunate implications. Onward!**

**A/N: This is just a little fluffy thing I did for a very dear friend who was feeling a little down this holiday, and with her permission, I extend that to all of you. It's not my best work, I know, but I thought it was cute. Merry Christmas to all readers and browsers, and to your loved ones, and Happy Holidays to the non-Christmas people as well. I hope all of you have a splendid New Year as well. Venari Dente will return in 2015! Peace, HG.**

**Winter Embrace**

~~Five Days Before Christmas~~

Bella shook her head dismissively. "I really don't understand the point of this holiday, I swear. Or the decorating. I mean, we're just gonna take them down in a week anyways, so it's a waste. "

Isabella "Bella" Marie Cullen sat on the couch, watching with a mixed bag of emotions running through her brain as her mother—mother figure, technically, but the term applied regardless—was slowly decorating the Cullen family's living room. She did so at a human's pace, as she enjoyed taking her time with projects regardless of the fact she could finish relatively quickly. She was smiling. Bella was frowning, which was normal for her, particularly around this time of year.

Esme paused and frowned at her daughter. "Honestly, Bella, why do you have to be such a Grumpy Gus when it comes to holidays, especially Christmas? This is a joyous time of year, yet you do nothing but grumble about it."

Bella shrugged. "Christmas is more for humans, Esme."

"You were human once," Esme replied. "And let us not forget that your beloved girlfriend and my future daughter happens to be human too, hmm?" She gave Bella a look and the brunette ducked her head sheepishly. "That's what I thought. And besides, where is it stated that we vampires can't enjoy the holidays? We may not sleep or eat any longer, but we're immortal now, and living for eternity without some joy and magic is just plain dull. Have you spoken to Alice, by the way? Isn't she supposed to come spend the next few days with us?"

Bella nodded, and a smile graced her lips as she imagined her energetic girlfriend, one of the brightest spots in her life alongside her family members and close friends. She glanced at her cell phone, and as if on cue, it began to ring. Alice, of course.

"I'm sorry, the number you've reached is unavailable currently," Bella said in a dull, monotone voice. "Would you like to leave a message?"

A snort came from the other end. _"Haha, Belly-Button."_

Bella groaned inwardly at the ridiculous nickname that Alice had given her, although deep down, she did find it cute. Not that she'd ever admit that to her pixie-esque lover.

"Hello, Alice," Bella said. "We were just talking about you," she glanced at Esme, who was grinning as she went back to putting tinsel up around the fireplace, which Bella rolled her eyes at, "are you planning on gracing us with your presence today?"

"_Of course!"_ Alice said. _"In fact, I'd say I'd be there_…" There was a knock at the door and Bella turned her head toward the foyer. _"Now."_

Bella chuckled and blurred over to open the door. The moment Bella's golden eyes met Alice's hazel, she felt something inside her chest. Not quite a fluttering feeling, since vampire hearts no longer beat, but it was… Bella could never place it, but it was the closest thing to butterflies that a vampire could feel, she figured. It started in the pit of her belly and spread throughout the rest of her body as a genuine warm smile spread across her face. Alice matched it with a gorgeous smile of her own, and the two embraced without a word.

Bella hugged the human as tightly as she dared and breathed in Alice's rich, strawberries-and-cream scent. It filled her nostrils just as Alice's warmth filled her body. Bella sighed, and after a moment, she pulled away and kissed Alice. Those sweet, soft, warm lips tasted heavenly, and the sensations only grew in intensity. Alice deepened the kiss, and hands started to roam as their lips danced together, at least until a throat cleared behind them and they stopped.

"Bella, invite the poor girl in, don't leave her out in the cold!" Esme chided.

Bella smiled a little and motioned Alice inside, at which point she noticed what Alice was wearing. She was wearing… Bella frowned, completely taken aback by her girlfriend's choice in attire as she went up to hug Esme.

"Hello, Alice," Esme said. "You look adorable!"

"Thanks, Mama E," Alice said, flashing another big smile. She twirled around once for added effect. "You look gorgeous too, as per usual."

"Flatterer," Esme said, kissing Alice on the forehead.

Bella's brow furrowed as Alice spun to face her. "What… What are you wearing?"

The pixie rolled her eyes. It was obviously a Christmas elf outfit, with a long green hat—with a bell on the end that jingled when Alice shook her head—and a green tunic, with a frilly red skirt. Her socks were large and had green-and-red stripes, and her shoes were little elf booties that completed the look. Bella understood what she was going for, but the zany wardrobe through her off.

"Honestly, Belly-Button," Alice said, tsk-ing. "Don't you recognize an elf when you see one?" She wiggled her eyebrows mischievously. "I brought a sexy Santa outfit for you to wear on the big day. You're gonna look fucking hot, hotter than you normally do."

Bella ignored the chuckle from Esme and slowly shook her head. "I appreciate the thought, Alice, and the compliment, but… I don't dress up. Ever." Alice's face fell and she puffed her bottom lip out in her trademark Alice Pout. Bella crossed her arms and matched it with a pout of her own. "Why are you giving me that look, Ali?"

"I bought it just for you," Alice said. Her eyes sparkled a little. "C'mon, humor me."

The vampire scowled again. "I don't understand the purpose of dressing up on Christmas, Alice. I don't even understand the purpose of Christmas itself. It feels more like one big marketing gimmick than anything else. And, really, this concept of a chubby man with flying reindeer flying all over to deliver gifts to bratty kids who only want more afterwards?" She shook her head. "There's so much wrong with this world that needs fixing, like war, hunger, and poverty. Taking a break to be frivolous doesn't make sense to me."

Alice sighed and walked over to take her vampire's hands. "Bella…" Bella met her gaze. "You are such a Grinch, babe. How is it that out of everyone in your family, you're the only one who seems to hate the holidays? This is a wonderful time of year. It's not about the gifts, it's about family and friends, about togetherness, and the celebration of the year coming to a close." She smiled again. "And I didn't buy this outfit to look stinking cute by myself, so throw me a bone, huh?"

Bella planted her lips against Alice's. "Alice, I love you. I love my family, and those who I consider to be my friends. But I love them the same every day, and in my world, every day is about them, not just Christmas." She nipped at Alice's ear, making Alice yelp a little. "And you're plenty stinking cute for the two of us. The answer's still no."

Alice huffed as Bella walked past her and vanished upstairs. "Don't mind her, dear," Esme said. "She's always a bit of a grump when it comes to the holidays."

"I know," Alice said, sighing.

The pixie had been trying to bolster Bella's spirits ever since the month of December began, yet her attempts had all pretty much failed. Yet Alice did not intend to give up. She loved Bella. She loved her vampire dearly despite her obvious grumpy exterior, because Alice saw through it. She saw the beauty within Bella Cullen, and this year, this Christmas, she was going to make Bella see it, too.

"Where is everyone else?" Alice asked, unable to stop herself from smiling.

"Carlisle, Rosalie, Leah, and Jasper are out hunting, and Victoria, James, and Emmett are visiting our friends in Denali," Esme said. She noticed the growing twinkle in Alice's eyes and lifted an eyebrow. "You're planning something, aren't you?"

"Yes," Alice said. "I've been planning it for a while now, actually."

"Oh?" Esme smiled. "And what might that be, if I may ask?"

Alice beamed and winked. "It's a secret."

The pixie practically pounced on Bella the moment she returned downstairs, nearly knocking the vampire to the floor. Bella steadied herself and embraced her girlfriend, yet when she met Alice's eyes, she didn't fail to notice the humongous smile. Seeing that smile, mixed in with the love and the warmth in Alice's eyes, brought on the vampire equivalent of warmth within Bella's stomach again. She swore her heart would be melting if it were physically possible.

"I love you, Belly-Button," Alice said.

"I love you too, Alice," Bella replied, and the two shared a kiss. Alice, however, did not deepen the kiss this time. In fact, she was the one who pulled away.

"Go back upstairs, to your room," Alice said. "I have a little something for you, and I want to give to you in private, okay?" Bella opened her mouth, but Alice shushed her. "No arguing, Belly-Button. C'mon, you'll love it, I promise."

She ran off before Bella could say anything more, and Bella looked at Esme, who shrugged and returned to her decorations. Bella gave a slight huff, more out of habit than annoyance in the slightest, and went upstairs to her room. Alice appeared not long after with something in her hand, a folded up piece of paper smelling of ink. Bella arched an eyebrow at it, yet Alice simply gave her a light shove until she sat down.

"This is a little something I wrote for you," Alice said. "It's not the best, I know. I'm no master at rhyming or anything, but, in the spirit of Christmas," Bella fought back the urge to roll her eyes, which Alice seemed to notice, because her smile grew, "I'm gonna read this for you, my beautiful Grinch. Okay?"

"Okay," Bella said, smiling a little.

Alice cleared her throat and, despite her exuberance and the obvious joy that seemed to be radiating off of her, her cheeks flushed with pink as she unfolded the piece of paper. Bella waited, watching patiently as Alice cleared her throat, smiling to herself at her adorable her human lover truly looked.

"To My Bella, by Alice Branden," Alice said. She licked her lips, then began to read aloud:

"_There once was a girl named Alice,_

_Whose days went without malice,_

_She lived with family rather happily,_

_Smiling bright and always carefree,_

_And she helped out those in need._

_But sometimes happy Alice would frown,_

_There was one thing that put her down,_

_There was one thing that she'd missed,_

_Quite frankly, it was true love's first kiss,_

_And though Alice opened up her heart,_

_None she met ever matched the part._

_Then one day, while out in town,_

_She met a woman with beauty renowned,_

_A woman that took Alice's breath away,_

_Whose golden eyes made Alice's day,_

_And whose tenderness made her sway."_

Alice's face was tomato red as she paused to meet Bella's eyes, and Bella felt the urge to run over and kiss Alice. But, she didn't. She stayed put as her body began to experience a level of emotion she couldn't put into words.

"_This angel's name was Bella Cullen,_

_Although this angel was a little sullen,_

_But Alice did not bother to stop and think,_

_To her, not knowing Bella would stink,_

_And so, Alice went up to the angel and said,_

'_Hello, I'm Alice, and I think I'm dead,'_

_She then proceeded to act like a fool,_

_Yet Bella seemed to think she was cool._

_A friendship began between the two,_

_And something more for both also grew,_

_For this event, Alice was quite prepared_

_Yet Bella seemed to be a bit scared,_

_This continued until emotions flared,_

_The truth came out, which Alice desired,_

_Bella admitted to her she was a vampire._

_But Alice did not run, nor scream or flee,_

_Instead, she thought, 'She's the one for me,'_

_And whether by fate or a gift from above,_

_The human and the vampire soon fell in love."_

Alice's heart pounded at her chest as she flipped the slip of paper over, and Bella felt invisible heartstrings being tugged by the pixie's words. Her eyes felt moist, as if she could start crying at any given second, and she wanted to as Alice continued.

"_As time passed, Alice came to feel,_

_What she had with Bella was very real,_

_She loved her vampire very much,_

_She loved every kiss and every touch,_

_Just being with Bella was enough,_

_Only one thing about Bella seemed bad,_

_Her gloomy mood, which made Alice sad._

_So Alice wrote a poem for Bella to show,_

_Good things about Bella that Alice knows:_

_The gold of your eyes, that shines like the sun,_

_The way you laugh when you're having fun,_

_The sound of your voice, whether low or high,_

_The fact that you never really say goodbye,_

_The way you smile that makes me want to melt,_

_The fact you touch me in ways I've never felt,_

_The warmth you give me whenever you're near,_

_The way just talking to you fills me with cheer,_

_The way you hold me in your arms night and day,_

_The fact you're brave and never run from a fight,_

_You're beautiful both on the inside and out,_

_You have an adorable nose and a cute pout,_

_You're strong and sweet, gentle and smart,_

_I honestly hate every second we're apart…"_

Alice swallowed, and her eyes started to shimmer as Bella stood and walked over to her. Their eyes met and bored through one another.

"_You, Bella Cullen, are the love of my life,_

_You keep me uplifted no matter the strife,_

_That's why I truly want you to see,_

_Why you mean so much to me."_

She stopped, set the piece of paper aside, and rubbed her eyes. Bella said nothing for a minute or so, instead simply gazing into the eyes of her beloved. Then, she closed what little distance there was between them, and kissed Alice. They kissed and hugged, a mutual sense of love and joy radiating off of each woman and enveloping them like an invisible blanket. When they broke away, they were smiling at one another, eyes shimmering and two hearts, one flesh and one phantom, beating in unison.

"I love you more than the world, Alice," Bella said. She kissed Alice again. "You are the greatest gift alongside my family, and I am thankful to whatever God exists to have you."

"I love you too, Bella," Alice said. "And I feel the same way." That infectious smile returned, only it was gentler now. "I really want to spend Christmas with you, and have it be a happy, fun day. I know you're not big on it, but… It would mean the world to me if you tried to cheer up a little. You deserve to be happy, Belly-Button. That's what Christmas is about."

Bella hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes. "Alice…" Yet she couldn't fight off the feelings she felt, and the combination of excitement in Alice's eyes and her smile made it difficult for Bella to keep resisting. So, she sighed and gave a nod. "Alright. For you, I will."

Alice squealed and threw her arms around Bella again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Bella smiled, although she did grunt a little. "I have to wear the outfit, don't I?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Alice chanted, giggling. "You'll love it, I swear."

_So long as it makes her happy_, Bella thought.

~~Four Days Before Christmas~~

"Oh my God, what are you wearing?!" Rosalie asked, gawping at Bella's current wardrobe. She started to snicker, Leah and Jasper both joining suit. Bella crossed her arms and scowled, wishing she'd agreed to wear the outfit solely on Christmas. But no, Bella agreed to Alice's request to wear the Santa attire the other day and would keep wearing it until AFTER Christmas. She was regretting that decision already.

"Damn, Emmett and the others are missing out," Leah said. "I can't believe Alice got you to wear a Santa outfit! What'd she do, threaten to put you in the dog house?"

Rosalie snorted. "She probably told Bella they wouldn't have sex for another year if she didn't do it. Bribery's the only way Bella would ever be festive about anything."

"I wouldn't talk if I were you, Rose," Bella said, shooting her a look.

Jasper patted Bella's shoulder. "Aw, don't be that way, Bells. It's just… You never do anything for Christmas. Ever. No dressing up, no decorating, and no presents, which I can understand and all, but…" He smiled. "It's refreshing to see you getting into the holiday spirit."

"Bah humbug," Bella muttered.

"Really, Bella?" Leah asked. "Scrooge AND the Grinch?"

"For your information, I'm not trying to steal Christmas from anyone," Bella said. Her siblings gave her a look. "What? I'm not taking it from you! I've never 'taken' it from you! You guys do what you want, and I don't mind it, I just never participate myself, okay?"

"Still being a Grinch," Rosalie said.

Bella huffed and got up. "Yeah, well, I'm gonna go to my Grinch cave and wallow for a while."

"Oh no you aren't!" Alice said as she walked inside. Most of the time, she knocked or rang the doorbell, but Carlisle and Esme had told her repeatedly she didn't need to whenever she came over, so sometimes, she just walked inside, like now. She was wearing a similar outfit to the elf clothes she'd worn previously, but with a few color changes, although the hat was the same. "Hi, everyone!"

Jasper, Rosalie, and Leah all greeted Alice, as did Bella, although she noticed Alice was carrying and immediately became a little wary. But, she did not show this wariness to her human girlfriend, because she'd decided the other night that she would suffer in silence over her disdain for Christmas. The day meant a lot to Alice, and she wouldn't ruin it for her.

_Not that I ruin it for anyone else_, Bella thought. She always kept her grumbling and grumpiness to herself on Christmas so as to not take the joy out of it for her family. Now, however, she wasn't going to get the chance.

"What've you got there, Alice?" Jasper asked, pointing at the bag she was carrying.

Alice giggled. "Something for all of you. Belly-Button and I are already dressed up to show our holiday spirit, but the rest of you aren't. That hardly seems fair, don't you think?" All of a sudden, the three's amusement at Bella's predicament seemed to vanish into thin air, and Bella found herself starting to grin. Alice did, too. "I have reindeer antlers aaand ugly Christmas sweaters for everyone!"

"Reindeer antlers?" Jasper asked.

"Christmas sweaters?!" Rosalie practically shouted. "Oh God, why?"

Alice's grin became devilish. "Because I bought them just for you, and you wouldn't want me to feel sad, would you? That would break my human heart, and I'd have to tell Esme and Carlisle, and then…" She trailed off, and giggled. "James, Victoria, and Emmett are missing out since they aren't here right now. But I'll give them theirs when they get back from Alaska."

Jasper sighed while Leah and Rosalie shared a horrified look. Bella felt like laughing, but she didn't. She simply grinned, especially when Jasper, sensing her obvious satisfaction, shot her a brief glare. Still, he was a gentleman about it and put on the sweater and antlers Alice had gotten him without complaint, and he even thanked her for them. Leah grudgingly did the same. Rosalie didn't budge.

"Perhaps I can do… something else instead?" she offered weakly.

"Oh, Rose, grow a pair and put the stuff on," Bella said. "It's for fun, nothing more. Honestly, do you see me grumbling about this," she gestured to the Santa outfit, which no longer looked as ridiculous in her eyes compared to those sweaters, but she didn't vocalize this, "do you?" A realization dawned on her and Bella chuckled. "Wow. Rosalie is being a grump about something while I'm not. That's a switch."

"Seriously though," Leah said. "And actually, this sweater's kinda comfy"

Rosalie gave a resigned sigh. "Emmett will never let me live this down. Fine."

Alice beamed and handed Rosalie her sweater and antlers, which Rosalie slipped on. "Sweet! Thanks, everyone! I really appreciate you wearing them, you all look cute!" Her eyes glimmered with genuine happiness. "Honestly, I wouldn't have guilt tripped any of you into it. But I'm really glad you did!"

Her cheer bolstered the mood and, to Bella's surprise, she found herself starting to be glad she was wearing the silly Santa outfit. Her siblings all seemed to show similar reactions, as Rosalie gave Alice a hug and forehead kiss in thanks, and Jasper and Leah started to bicker about who wore their sweater better.

_Amazing_, Bella thought, smiling to herself. _It's like her cheer is contagious or something…_

~~Two Days Before Christmas~~

"Do you want to build a snowman?" Alice asked.

Bella stopped messing with her Santa hat to frown at her human. "Are you quoting that annoying Disney movie or are you actually asking me a question?"

Alice giggled. "A little of both. And it's not annoying, ya big grump. I love that movie."

"Musicals are too… upbeat for me," Bella said.

"Just answer the question, Belly-Button," Alice said, rolling her eyes.

"Alright, alright," Bella said. "We'll go build a snowman. Or a snowwoman. Why does it always have to be 'snowman'? I've often found that concept silly, especially with times changing and gender equality becoming increasingly—"

Alice shushed her with a kiss. "You talk too much sometimes, Belly-Button. C'mon."

Bella nodded, and the two went outside together to the side of the house, where a nice, even patch of snow covered the ground. Alice dived in and started gathering snow while Bella watched, taking in the sight of her beloved looking so happy despite the fact that she was out in cold weather, playing in the snow.

Bella watched as Alice began building the base of her snowperson, and as she did…

It started to hit her. The realization was slow, but gradually, Bella began to piece together this so-called Christmas spirit that Alice and the others had talked about. She'd heard about it all the time in years past, but never stopped to think about it, nor did she really care to. Yet seeing Alice, and thinking about her past Christmases with her family, Bella started to see for the first time. She started to FEEL, too.

"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way," Alice sang to herself as she patted down the snow she'd put onto her snowperson's lower body. "Oh what fun it is to be with my vampire to-day, hey! Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the time! Oh—"

"My dear sweet Alice, the pleasure is mine," Bella finished, singing to the same tune Alice had been. It startled both women, and Alice had to gape at her vampire while Bella looked embarrassed. She bit her lip and quickly blurred over to Alice's side. "Well, it is But I… That didn't happen, okay? Bella Cullen doesn't sing."

Alice burst into giggles. "Whatever you say."

Despite her embarrassment at the random outburst, Bella smiled a genuine smile that stayed on her face as she and Alice worked together to build their snowperson, which ended up being a snowwoman as Bella had requested. They built an entire snow family, in fact, one for each Cullen, as well as one for Alice.

"Why is mine so short?" Alice asked, pointing to the snowwoman Bella worked on that was obviously her.

Bella giggled for the first time in ages. "You're not exactly tall, Ali."

"Um, neither are you!" Alice said. "And did you just giggle?! Holy shit, Bella! First you sin and then you giggled!" She started to giggle again. "Dear God, you're becoming a new person!"

"Am not," Bella huffed out. "I'm still the same, mark my words. The day after Christmas, I'm going to go back to doing what I was before, and I'm never wearing this outfit again." Alice's smile didn't waver, and Bella sighed. "I blame you for this, so you're aware."

"You're welcome," Alice said, and she ran over to throw her arms around her vampire. The two embraced, although Alice wasn't quite as warm as she often was. "Seriously though, I'm not that short, Bella. And are my boobs really that big?"

Bella did not comment on that one.

~~Christmas Eve~~

Bella swiftly moved over the snow, her head darting about as she searched. She was a little taken aback by how difficult it was to find an actual tree of all things, yet here she was by herself, late at night, doing just that: trying to find a good Christmas tree. Her family didn't often get a tree for whatever reason, instead opting to simply decorate the inside and outside of the house with the usual kind of Christmas-y ornaments.

Alice, however, liked Christmas trees. She'd talked about how she and her family decorated theirs, and when she did, her eyes would light up and she would take on this expression that mystified Bella with how innocent and cute it looked. And so Bella decided she was going to give Alice a second Christmas tree. More than that, she was going to give her family a Christmas tree, the best damn tree she could find, which she would decorate all by herself.

_Now, the trouble is finding a tree_, Bella thought. She didn't want to go into town and buy one because she didn't want to risk any of her family members catching onto what she was doing, or risk Alice catching her, either. No, she wanted to surprise them all.

Sure, there were tons of trees in the Olympic peninsula. Hundreds. All were beautiful to look at, but the problem was finding the RIGHT kind of tree. It had to be the right size and width to fit through the front door and take up just the right amount of space, because in Bella's eyes, getting a tiny tree wouldn't cut it. It'd be half-assed to her. It wouldn't mean the same thing to anyone unless it was the right size the way so many human families had. Bella wanted her tree—no, Alice's and her family's tree—to be equal to those human families.

She dashed about the snow, ignoring any animals she saw or smelled, and keeping her senses sharp just in case one of her siblings happened to follow her. Emmett, James, and Victoria would be returning from Denali before the morning, too. She knew because James had called to inform them they'd be leaving—by foot—and taking their time to go from Alaska to Washington. They liked to see the sights, and they would no doubt hunt, so Bella hoped she had enough time to do this.

Three hours passed by. Midnight was fast approaching, and Bella wasn't having any luck finding a tree. Every tree she saw that looked good, she would measure with her mind. One was too tall, it would hit the ceiling. Many were too short or two wide, and Bella didn't want to ruin the tree or the door while she attempted to get it inside. A few were close, yet looked uneven in Bella's eyes, although it might've just been her nitpickiness and general grumpiness shining through.

_Damn trees_, Bella thought._ Why can't they grow the way I want them to? Why can't they be just right? Ugh!_ She had to pause at this point and shake her head at herself. _Wow, I'm groaning about trees. Jeez._

But then, minutes before twelve, Bella saw a tree, huddled over near a group of larger trees. She ran to it, first checking to make sure no animals called it home, then she measured it from every angle she could think. She beamed.

"Bingo," Bella said. Now she just had to carry it back home and decorate it without any of the vampires living with her hearing, smelling, or seeing what she was doing. She had to pause again, this time to frown. "Why didn't I think of that sooner?"

With a sigh, she realized she'd just have to hope for the best. Bella ducked down and struck the tree's trunk with a well-aimed kick, and it toppled down. She caught it, the smell of the tree and snow mixing together and surrounding her, although she didn't mind. Bella heaved the tree over her shoulders and began to run at full speed back to the house. As she did, an odd sensation came over her, and before her brain could react, Bella's mouth opened and words came out.

"Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh…" Bella's eyes widened and she came to a screeching halt. _Oh my God, I'm singing a Christmas song! _She stared at nothing in particular as she soaked this fact in, yet she couldn't find it in herself to grumble about it. _Alice is really getting to me. Jeez._ She wasn't sure what else to think at that moment, so she simply went back to running with the tree.

Her only thought was to wonder… What was Alice doing to her? And why did she like it?

~~Christmas~~

"MEEEEEEEERRY CHRISTMAAAAAAAAAS!" Alice shouted as she walked into the Cullen household, a giant bag slung over her shoulder. Eight of the nine vampires appeared within a flash, smiles all around, and Alice's already face-splitting smile seemed to grow. At least, until she noticed who was missing from the picture. But, she didn't dwell on it, because she hoped Bella would show up sooner rather than later.

"Merry Christmas, Alice," Carlisle and Esme said together. The others followed suit.

"What'd you get me?" Emmett asked, jumping in front of his family members. His huge, goofy grin almost matched Alice's, although Rosalie had to rein him in a bit.

"Emmett, you know better," Rosalie chided. She moved in front of him. "It's ladies first when it comes to gifts."

"Oh, brother," Jasper said. "Wait for the poor woman to bring it into the family room, huh?" He wiggled his eyebrows and motioned Alice on.

"You didn't have to get us anything, Alice," Esme said, but Alice just giggled and walked past them with the gifts in tote, only to stop when she saw the massive tree staring back at her, covered in ornaments. In fact, the entire Cullen family room had been transformed, going beyond the lovely decorations Esme had put up.

Alice gaped as she set the bag of gifts down. "Whoa. You guys and your super speed!"

"Actually, this was all Bella," Victoria said. "We got home from Denali to find her singing and putting things up all over the damn house. I think even our bathroom got decorated!"

"I don't think I've seen Bella this festive in… Fuck, I've never seen her festive," Leah said, and the others nodded in agreement. "What on earth did you do to her, Alice? You took our grumpy Grinch and made her heart grow three sizes!"

James snorted. "More like ten sizes and then some."

Alice just beamed. "I showed her the awesomeness of Christmas. Plain and simple. But where is she?"

"She's upstairs, I think," Victoria said. "Singing in the shower and washing glitter out of her hair… Oh wait, that's Rosalie who does that." Her blonde sister shot her a dirty glare, but it dissolved fairly fast, and Victoria shrugged. "Hell if I know, Alice. She'll be here, I'm sure."

"Uh, yeah, she'll miss the presents!" Emmett said.

"You are such a twelve year old, Emmett," Jasper said, shaking his head.

Alice chuckled and opened the bag of gifts up. "Hey, everyone gets to be twelve on Christmas, Jazz. It's part of the magic." She reached in and started shuffling around, grabbing out two presents. "First, for Esme and Carlisle, since the parents should be the ones to get their goodies before the children, isn't that only fair?"

Carlisle gave a soft chuckle. "Well, I wouldn't—"

"Why yes, it is," Esme said. "Thank you, dear." She took both gifts and handed Carlisle his, although Carlisle gave his wife an amused look. "What? I told her she didn't have to, and now I'm accepting what she's brought. It's called manners, hon."

Alice then handed out gifts to the others, and she watched with glee as each present was opened. She'd gotten them things she felt in her heart they would love, and based on their expressions and thanks—hugs included—Alice knew she'd hit the jackpot.

A good-sized antique clock for Esme, who herself loved collecting antiques, two books from the 1800s for Carlisle that were in as good a condition as Alice could find, the newest Call of Duty for Emmett, and to go along with it, the newest Dragon Age game for Rosalie, since they were the biggest gamers. For James, the hunter, Alice bought a hunting cap and an animal cry whistle, for Victoria, three CDs of her favorite bands that she did not yet have, for Jasper, three model ships for him to build, and finally, for Leah, Alice had bought a few new board games, since Leah was the board game aficionado of the family. But they had gotten her gifts, too, and Alice excitedly dug into them.

After more hugs and thank you's were given, Emmett popped in his newest Call of Duty and began to play with Rosalie, Leah, and Victoria. Alice watched for a few minutes before she heard movement and turned to see Bella enter the family room, dressed up in the Santa outfit Alice had bought for her. But that wasn't what caught Alice off guard, she'd seen and commented on that outfit already. It was the glow in Bella's warm golden eyes and the fact that she was both smiling and humming a Christmas tune that threw Alice off for a moment.

"Merry Christmas, Ali!" Bella said, pulling the human into a tight, loving hug. She kissed her full on the lips, too, before pulling away, still smiling.

"M-Merry Christmas," Alice repeated, shaking her surprise off. "Who are you and what did you do with my Belly-Button?"

Bella rolled her eyes and poked Alice in the belly. "Nothing. It's right there, silly."

"You know what I mean," Alice said, although her smile returned full force. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."

"Let's just say an annoying, yet adorable elf got me into the spirit," Bella said. "Otherwise, I'd be in my room reading a book or something. But, that's not important." She glanced around at her family members and caught sight of the bag of presents. Bella cocked an eyebrow at it, but didn't make any smart remarks. She simply turned her gaze back to the loving eyes of her girlfriend. "I have something for you, Ali."

"And I have something for you," Alice said. "But, perhaps we should…" She motioned toward the staircase and Bella, catching on, nodded.

The two women walked hand in hand—after Alice grabbed the last present in her bag—upstairs, again to the privacy of Bella's room, soon to be Bella and Alice's room.

"Me first," Bella said, and she ran to her closet, where a small, blue box was waiting for her. She grabbed it and handed it to Alice, and for once, the oftentimes grumpy vampire looked a bit sheepish as Alice began to peel the wrapping paper away.

Alice gasped when she opened it. It was a necklace, a beautiful silver necklace with a small sapphire at the end, with a bow wrapped around said gem with the name 'Alice Cullen' written on it.

"Oh my God, Bella…" Alice gaped at it and looked at the vampire. "Thank you. It's beautiful."

"It's an heirloom," Bella admitted. My grandmother found that sapphire, and gave it to my mother as a necklace. She gave it to me when I was young, and… Now, I want to give it to you." Alice slipped the necklace over her head and Bella smiled. "It suits you."

Alice kissed her. "I love it, Bella. Thanks so much."

"You're welcome, Ali."

Alice then handed Bella her gift. Inside was… Bella stopped when she noticed what it was. A vial of blood. She studied the vial, her eyes darkening ever so slightly, before she looked at Alice, curiosity practically written on her face.

"It's jaguar blood," Alice said. "I had to jump through a few hoops to get in touch with an animal doctor that knew someone who worked with big cats, but it was worth it. I remembered you saying long ago that jaguars were one of your favorite animals, and when I remembered how you and your family tend to stay away from predators, I figured I could give this to you as a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing."

"Thank you, Alice," Bella said. "This… This is wonderful."

"Drink it," Alice said.

Bella frowned and glanced again at the vial of blood. Her throat burned a bit from the temptation of tasting the blood, yet she was wary of it due to Alice being with her. Her control was fine, she'd been trained with that by Esme and Carlisle, but even so…

"I'm not sure," Bella said. "I'd rather savor this instead of guzzle it down in one sitting."

"That's fine," Alice said. "But I want you to taste it, at the very least. See if you like it."

Alice's hazel eyes did not waver despite Bella's uncertainty, and, after a moment of deliberation, she nodded and undid the top of the vial. The smell of the blood hit Bella almost instantly, and her hunger grew as if she hadn't hunted for weeks rather than a day and a half. She swallowed the venom that pooled into her mouth, and as cautiously as she could, she brought the vial to her lips. The blood was warm, and the taste was different than the herbivores Bella relegated herself to hunting. It flowed down her throat and soothed the burn, and Bella found herself moaning at the deliciousness.

Unfortunately, she remembered too late that she'd wanted to savor the blood, because by the time she stopped, she'd finished the entire vial. She grimaced and lowered the now empty vial and met Alice's eyes, expecting a frown or perhaps sadness in her features. There was none. Alice was just smiling the same warm, cheerful smile.

"Alice, I…"

"Don't sweat it, Belly-Button," Alice said. She winked. "I have a few more, I just didn't want you to drink all of them."

Bella felt relief at this and smiled again. "Thank you, Ali. That… It was an awesome gift, I won't lie. I won't forget the taste for a good long while."

"Merry Christmas, Bella," Alice said, kissing her vampire.

"Bah humbug," Bella said, cracking a tiny grin while her human narrowed her eyes. "I'm kidding. Merry Christmas." They kissed again. "What say we go join the others, eh?"

"Sounds good to me," Alice said. "Oh, but Bella?" She hiked her shirt up to flash Bella a silver navel ring hanging from her cute innie. "Later on… I think there's a gift we can give each other, one I've been dying to get. Sound good?"

She didn't wait for Bella to respond, and instead darted out of Bella's room, giggling all the while. Bella just gaped, before she slowly shook her head.

_Maybe Christmas isn't so bad after all_.

**END**


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